Tragedy Will Only Bring Us Closer
by Ryne20
Summary: After Jeff Hardy is suspeneded because of a rigged Drug Test, he becomes closser to a certin Playboy Cover Girl. What does one Santino Marella have to do with everything? Simple, Revenge. Jeff/Maria. R&R please!
1. Chapter 1

Today had not been an ordinary day for one Jeff Hardy. Earlier in the day he  
had to take a blood test for the WWE's Wellness Policy. Jeff tried not to  
think about it, he didn't worry though, he would turn out clean anyway. He  
had more important things to think about. He was preparing for a match he had  
that night against his longtime friend Chris Jericho.

As Jeff finished putting on his ring gear, he glanced at his Intercontental  
Title belt. He reached over to where he had hung it in his locker and held it  
when he saw his face in the shiny belt. This has been one of the longest  
title  
reigns he had ever had in his entire career.

While Jeff was mesmerized in this thoughts he heard someone knocking on his  
locker room door.

"Come in." Jeff said, not taking his eyes of the title. He often wondered  
if he'd ever carry the WWE Title. It had been his goal ever since he  
rejoined the WWE a few years ago. Jeff looked up and saw a teary eyed Maria  
Kanells standing in front of him.

"Ria? What's wrong?" Jeff asked the Playboy cover girl. When Jeff  
rejoined the WWE in 2006, him and Maria became close. He often thought of her  
as his best friend.

"II just saw Santino. H-He w-was" Maria couldn't finish as she burst into  
tears. Jeff instantly pulled her into an comforting embrace.

"Oh, Ria. I'm sorry." He whispered softly. Jeff had known that Santino had  
been trying to hurt Maria ever since she posed for Playboy, in anyway he  
could. He managed that by hooking up with Maria's own worst emeny, Melina.

"I'm sorry, Jeff." Maria wept after a few minutes.

"What are you sorry for? Santino's the jerk, Ria. The entire locker room  
despises him. Don't blame yourself for Santino's mistakes. It's his  
problem that he left the most beautiful Playboy cover girl ever." Jeff said.  
The smile Maria gave him that moment was one he wouldn't ever forget.

"Well how come I never saw it?" she cried. Jeff could see the hurt, the betrayal in her eyes.

"Because, Ria. You care about people. Santino doesn't." Jeff  
explained.

"I guess you're right. Thank you for being my friend." She whispered through her tears.

"You know I am. I'll be here for you, Ria." Said Jeff softly. Maria  
beamed at him and gave him one of her unforgettable smiles. Suddenly a knock  
was heard on his door.

"Who is it?" Jeff said.

"It's Randy!" The voice of the WWE champion said behind the door and in  
came Randy Orton. Him and Jeff had been friends since Jeff hit him with that  
15 foot Swanton.

"What's up Orton?" Jeff asked the Legend Killer.

"I came by to tell you that I overheard Sanchico Nerdella and Melina  
talking about a plan earlier." Randy reported. Jeff got a confused look on  
his face.

"Why would Santanco plot against me?" Jeff questioned.

"I have no idea. I'll let you know if I hear anything. Vince wants to  
speak with you. He told me to tell you." The WWE champion said.

"Oh, boy. That doesn't sound good." Maria said. She always worried  
about Jeff. She knew about his past and tried to help anyway she could.

"Don't worry, man. Just think, next month, you'll be winning this."  
Randy said, pointing to the shiny spinner belt he held over his shoulder.

"Well, I'm off." Jeff said and turned out of the locker room to find  
Vince.

"Randy, what was Santino talking about, when you saw him?" Maria asked  
one of her best friends.

"I don't know, Maria. All I heard was him saying that it starts  
tonight." Randy said. Both Maria and Randy had no clue what that meant.

"My, Melina! That was fantastic!!" Santino Marella said happily, coming  
out of his locker room. Ever since his of a girlfriend Maria had betryed  
him by posing for Playboy, he vowed to make her life miserable. The first step  
was hooking up with Melina.

"You know it was. And it will get better, Tino. Our plan will leave Maria  
all alone, she'll be heart broken. And it starts tonight." Melina said  
evily. Jeff Hardy won't know what hit him.

"Jeff, I hate to say this, but the blood test came back positive. I'm  
going to have to strip you of the I.C. title and suspend you for sixty days.  
Which means you'll be out of 'Mania." Jeff couldn't believe what he  
was hearing.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS! I HAVE BEEN CLEAN FOR THREE YEARS! THERE HAS TO BE  
A MISTAKE!" Jeff shouted in anger. He wouldn't be able to accomplish his  
dream. He was crushed.

"Not according to the results. Seems like you injected yourself with H.G.H  
just last night. You have one more chance, Jeff. Don't blow it." Vince  
said. For some reason the billionare had a felling that something was wrong  
about the test. He couldn't believe Jeff Hardy would ever do H.G.H. or any  
drug.

"Vince…"

"Look, Jeff. As mush as I hate this, the test doesn't  
lie! Now get out before I fire you!" Vince shouted. Jeff did as he was told  
with out another word. Somehow Vince McMahon knew that Jeff was being set up,  
but he needed proof.


	2. Chapter 2

As Jeff made his way to his locker room, his mind was filled with all kinds  
of thoughts. He had never done H.G.H. or any kind of steroid. How could it  
show up in his blood test? How could this have happened? Suddenly a voice had  
interrupted his thoughts.

"Hey Jeff. Whats wrong?" Jeff looked up at the sound of the voice and saw  
his mentor, the 'King Of Kings' Triple H looking at him. Jeff had been so  
generous to The Game over the past few months. It was because Hunter felt Jeff  
was more deserving to face Randy Orton at the Royal Rumble than anyone else on  
the roster, Hunter decided to put him as the number one contender rather then  
himself.

"Looks like I'm going to miss 'Mania." Jeff told the former champion.  
Hunters expression was pure shock; much like Jeff's earlier when he first  
found out.

"What? Why?" Was The Game's reply.

"Well, apparently according to the drug test, I'm doing H.G.H." He  
stated. Hunter couldn't believe what he had just heard. Jeff Hardy doing  
H.G.H.? It was imposable.

"I don't believe that, Jeff. There has to be a mistake!" Hunter said.  
Well, at least Jeff knew he wasn't the only one that thought that.

"That was what I was thinking. But Vince wouldn't hear it. Do you have  
any idea of who would want tohis? To set someone up, right before  
Wrestlemania?" Jeff asked.

Hunter shrugged and thought deeply. Who in there right mind would want to set  
up another superstar and get them thrown out of the bigest show of the year?

"Well, Jeff." Hunter stated, "I've been here along time. I've seen  
everything. But not someone do something this low. Who have you angered enough  
to make them sink low enough to this level?" Jeff thought long and hard.  
There was  
only one person Jeff could think of.

"Well, there is one..." Jeff began, but was interrupted by an Italian  
accent as one Santino Marella stood in front of The Game and the  
RainbowedHaired Warrior.

"Well, well, well, looks like the rumors are true. Looks like you are, how  
do you say… on the juice." Santino said to Jeff. Jeff tried to hold his  
anger back as Hunter spoke up.

"Look here, Marella, why don't you mind your own business? This doesn't  
concern you." Hunter told the former Intercontental Champion.

"That might be true, Tripe H. All I can say is it is now time for the  
deserving superstars to shine." Santino said in his itialian accent and  
strutted away. Jeff was speechless.

"Hunter, what did he mean by that?" Jeff asked the King of Kings.

"I have no idea, Jeff. But I'll keep an eye on him. No telling what  
he's capable of. Ever since Maria has posed for Playboy, he's been like a  
different person. Like he's out for revenge." Hunter replied. Jeff had no  
idea what to think. Santino was unhappy that Maria had left him for Playboy  
and that he wasn't in the Money in the Bank match. Something was strange,  
even for the Italian.

"Well, Hunter I better pack my bags. I'll call you once I get to  
Cameron." Jeff said once they reached Jeff's locker room.

"And I'll keep you informed of Santino's doings. You never know what  
he'll be up to." Hunter said. Jeff suddenly thought of something. Maria.  
What if Santino tried to do something to Maria while he was gone? He  
couldn't think of what would happen if he tried something on his best  
friend.

"Hunter, could you do me a favor while I'm gone?" Jeff asked recently  
with a soft voice. In case Maria was still waiting for him, he didn't want  
her to hear what he was about to say.

"Shoot." Hunter said instantly.

"Could you keep an eye on Maria for me? Santino's been out to get her  
recently and if he should try to hurt her an any way while I'm gone, I  
wouldn't be able to help her and it would be my fault. I don't know what I  
would do if he were to hurt her..." Jeff said softly. Ever since Maria had  
been going out with the Malen Miracle, Jeff's fallings for the Chicago  
native had began to grow. She was more than a best friend to him.

"Listen, Jeff. I hear you, man. But you got to tell her how you feel. You  
never know when she'll find another Santino. You're everything he's not.  
You have to tell her before it's to late." Jeff let The Games words sink  
in. He was right. But he didn't know how to tell her.

"You're right, man. But what if something happens and ruins our  
friendship?" Jeff asked. He couldn't live with himself if he had ever done  
something to hurt the Playboy Cover Girl.

"Well, look at Steph and myself." Hunter stated. "We broke up three or  
four times before we got married. Like I said before, tell her before it's  
too late." The Game said.

"Well, just be sure that Santino doesn't try anything. I have to pack."  
Jeff said, trying to change the subject.

"Certainly. Say hello to Jack for me. I haven't seen that dog in  
forever." Hunter said. Jack was Jeff's beloved bulldog. He loved that dog  
more then he loved Maria.

"Definately. And thanks again Hunter." Jeff said gratefully.

"Jeff, just remember what I said. Before it is too late." Hunter said  
seriously. Jeff pretended he didn't hear him.

"Right. Well I got to pack." Jeff said as he entered his locker room. He  
found Maria had Randy playing a game of Go Fish.

"Do you have any fours?" Maria asked the Legend Killer.

"Go fish." Randy responded, Jeff took a look at Randy's cards and saw  
the three fours. He took the cards and gave them to Maria.

"Here you go, Ria." Jeff said, handing the cards to his best friend.

"Blast you, Hardy!! I needed those cards!!" The Legend Killer said  
angrily as Maria and Jeff laughed at the WWE Champion.

"So what did the boss want??" Randy asked. Putting the deck of cards off  
to the side. Jeff sat down next to them with a serious face.

"Well, turns out I'm on H.G.H. I'm suspended. Sixty Days." He said  
sadly. Randy and Maria looked shocked. Maria couldn't believe what she was  
hearing. Jeff suspended? It couldn't be. She needed him now more then ever.

"You cant be serious! H.G.H.? What about your WWE Title shot? What about  
'Mania?" Randy asked in a surprised voice.

"Well, apparently I'm out of the match and I'm losing the  
Intercontinental title tonight." Jeff answered. Maria's expression showed  
even more shock and disbelief.

"This is unbelievable! You've never done any kind of steroid!" Maria  
said.

"That's the same thing Hunter said. He and I believe someone did this  
intently. To try to cost me my title shot." Randy and Maria couldn't  
believe what they were hearing. Who would do such a thing?

"Well, Jeff. Maria, John and my self will try to figure out whose behind  
this. The whole thing is bizarre. I don't see you being one to do any kind  
of performance enhancing drug." Randy told his friend. Jeff was grateful for  
all of their support.

"Thanks guys. It means a lot to me." Jeff said truthfully. He noticed  
Maria had been more quiet then she normally was.

"Well, John and I have to prepare for our match tonight. I'm out."  
Randy commented and rose to leave. Once he left, Jeff and Maria were alone.  
Hunter's voice spoke in the back of his head. It's now or never, Jeff. Jeff  
noticed that Maria had a tear coming from her eyes.

"Ria, honey? What's wrong?" He asked. Maria looked at him with a sad  
face.

"I'm going to miss you, Jeff. So much." She cried. Jeff pulled Maria in  
a close hug and let her cry on his shoulder.

"I'll miss you to, Ria." Jeff said silently. Was this the right time to  
tell her how he felt? Jeff thought better of it as Maria softly pulled from  
the embrace, her eyes red from crying.

"Jeff, I want to let you know, I'm here for you. If you ever need  
anything. Just call. I'll always be there for you." She said silently.  
Jeff held her hand as he wiped a tear away from her cheek.

"So am I, Maria. So am I."


	3. Chapter 3

**Authors Note: Thanks all for the reviews. If you have any ideas for the story or critizem, let me know. Also, Ive decidedd to include Ric Flair in this story from hear on out. Special thanks go to PaparazzixChickx for helping me with this story**

A few days later Jeff was at his home in Cameron, North Carolina. The whole  
week had been him. He had quite possibly blown his chance to be with Maria.  
Why didn't he listen to Hunter's advice and tell her how he felt before it  
was too late? When he had had arrived in his home in Cameron, he was greeted  
by the barking of his beloved dog, Jack.

"Hey, buddy. How's it going?" He said to the dog. The dog barked back  
excitedly. Jeff's phone suddenly rang.

"Hello?" He asked into the receiver. The voice on the other end he  
recognized as Hunter's.

"Jeff! How's home life for ya?" Hunter asked.

"Boring so far. You find out anything yet?" Jeff asked, getting straight  
to the point.

"Nope, although Vince has allowed us to do anything we can to find out who  
did this. Ric, John, Randy and Shawn are observing Santino and his whereabouts  
closely but haven't noticed anything unusual." Hunter informed the  
RainbowedHaired Warrior.

"Really? That's odd... How's Maria doing?" He asked, changing the  
subject. He'd missed her so much the last few days.

"She's worried about you. John and Randy tried everything they could to  
cheer her up. They even tried singing their theme songs. Be grateful you  
weren't here for that." Hunter said with a laugh.

"Hunter, is Maria around? I'd like to speak to her." Jeff said coming  
out of no where. He wasn't really expecting to say that as bluntly as he  
did.

"Sure, Jeff. She's right here." Hunter said. After a few moments  
Maria's cheery voice came on the phone.

"Jeff!! How are you!" She asked excitedly, almost giddily.

"Like I told Hunter, I'm bored. How you doing?"

"Been better. Except for when John and Randy tried singing their theme  
songs. To make it worse they did it in the arena! Thank god Chris came out to  
give them some singing lessons, which still didn't help!" Mara said with a  
laugh. After Raw went off the air, both Randy and John were known to stay out  
in the arena to entertain the audience. After a small silence after the mental  
picture, Jeff went to speak again.

"Well, I have to go, Ria. I'll see you soon, okay?" Jeff said quietly.

"Can't wait, Jeff, Bye!!" She said excitedly and the phone went to the  
dial tone. After hearing her voice, Jeff remembered how much he had missed the  
former Playboy cover girl. He had to tell her about how he felt, but he would  
save that for a bit later. Right now he needed some alone time. He decided to  
go for a walk alone. Jeff rarely did this but he needed to separate his  
thoughts desperately. He couldn't believe he would miss Wrestlemania and  
lose his chance to become World Champion. He also couldn't believe how much  
he missed Maria. The two had become best friends over the years and Jeff had  
begun to really care for her. It wasn't until she started going out with  
Santino Marella that he discovered his falling for her.

As he was jogging he felt the warm air hit him like the smell of bacon in the  
morning. He also thought he could sence the smell of smoke. Maybe it was the  
smell of someone grilling, the thought crossed his mind as he continued  
jogging down the deserted highway.

A mile and a half later, the smell of smoke became more deadly. Worriedly,  
Jeff decided to go back home just in case the flames were near.

When he had reached his house a few minutes later he was horrified to see  
that his entire house was ablaze. There were fire trucks everywhere. He  
couldn't believe what he was seeing. He ran full speed into the flames but  
he tripped  
over something. When he looked down, his heart crushed when he discovered  
what he fell over. It was Maria.

"Maria? Can you hear me?" He said softly. She didn't answer. Why was  
she here? Jeff thought. He picked up Maria up into his arms and carried her  
away from the blaze.

"I NEED AN AMBULANCE!!" The former Intercontentantal champion shouted to  
anyone that would listen. A moment later a doctor arrived.

"Sir, you need to bring her to the hospital. She might have suffered smoke  
inhalation." The doctor said. The doctor strapped Maria into an stretcher  
and wheeled her into a nearby ambulance. Jeff climbed in the ambulance and  
sat  
down next to the Playboy cover girl. It broke his heart to see her so  
helpless. He took her hand and squeezed in confort.

"Don't worry, Maria. You're going to be alright." He said silently as  
he stroked her forehead softly. The ride seemed to take so much longer than it  
really was and eventually the ambulance stopped and two doctors opened the  
back door.

"Where you going with her?" Jeff asked one of the doctors.

"Were taking her in to xray. We need some information on her. Can you tell  
us what her name is?"

"Her name is Maria. Maria Kanells. Is she going to be alright?" Jeff  
asked the doctor impatently.

"We don't know, sir. Why don't you wait in the waiting room. It won't  
be long." The doctor said calmy.

"Okay. I have a few calls to make first." Jeff said. He certainly  
didn't want to spend this time alone. He hated being in hospitals.  
Especially if Maria was one of the patients. After the doctor left, he quickly  
dialed  
Hunter's number. After each ring, frustration grew within the Hardy.

"HUNTER PICK UP!" Jeff shouted into the reciever. Sure enough, a voice  
was heard on the other end.

"Easy, Jeff. What's the problem?" It was the voice of Stephanie,  
Hunter's wife.

"Steph, please tell Hunter that my house was… was… burnt to the ground.  
And... and Ma.. Maria was in it." He said between tears he didn't even  
recognize letting out.

"Oh, Jeff. I'm sorry. Why was Maria there? I'll tell Hunter as soon as  
I can. We'll be there first thing in the morning." The Billion Dollar  
Princes said and the line went dead. A few seconds later Jeff called Randy he  
wasn't shure if he'd beable to tell the same story twice.

"Legend Killer here." Randy's voice said.

"Randy, it's Maria... I was out walking when I smelled smoke. I didn't  
think anything of it until I got home. Randy, my house was on fire. Maria was  
in it...  
Everything was destroyed..." Jeff said siently, listening to the silence  
on the other end. After a second, Randy's voice was heard again.

"Holy crap, Jeff... I'll tell the guys and we'll be there as soon as we  
can." Randy said. Jeff hung up the phone and walked into the hospital's  
waiting room and sat in one of the chairs. He prayed that Maria would be  
alright.


	4. Chapter 4

As Jeff was in the hospital's waiting room, he couldn't help but feel as  
if he had let Maria down. He had promised her that he would always be there  
for her, and he failed to keep his word. He had never felt so miserable in his  
life. Jeff was so into his thoughts that he didn't even hear his friends  
arrive at the hospital a half hour later.

"Jeff, How's Maria doing?" The former sixteen time World Champion asked  
the former Intercontinental Champion. Ric Flair couldn't believe what had  
happened when he heard the news. Maria had always been like a daughter to him.

"The doctors say that the smoke inhalation she received has put her in a  
coma. They... They don't know if she'll make it." The younger Hardy  
brother whispered. Everyone looked shocked.

"Maria's going to be alright, Jeff. She'll pull through." A very  
teary Mickie James whispered as she tried to hold back the tears.

"Why was she there anyway?" Shawn asked the question that was on Jeff's  
mind ever since he seen her unconscious a few hours ago.

"Well," The Legend Killer began, "Maria was worried about you. So I  
insisted on her paying you a visit." Randy explained quietly. Without  
warning, Jeff lept from his chair and pushed the WWE Champion up against a  
wall, holding him by the throat.

"DO YOU RELIZE WHAT YOU'VE DONE, RANDY! DO YOU RELIZE YOU MAY HAVE SENT  
HER TO HER DEATH BED! HOW COULD YOUHAT RANDY?!" Jeff shouted, all the anger  
coming out of him from the past few hours.

"Jeff! Randy has nothing to do with what happened! It wasn't his fault!  
He'd never do anything to hurt anyone!" Mickie pleaded out loud.

"She's right. Randy may be twisted in the head, but he's not that  
twisted." Ric tried to calm the younger Hardy down.

"THAT DOESN'T MATTER!" Jeff shouted, ignoring the Nature Boy's plea,  
"SHE'S IN THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE I WASN'T HOME! IF ORTON HADN'T SENT HER  
HERE THIS WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED! FOR ALL WE KNOW, BECAUSE OF HIM, SHE  
COULD... COULD..." Jeff couldn't finish his thought as he could already  
feel the tears coming. He released the champion from his grip as he put his  
hands in his face and sobbed.

"Jeff, this isn't your fault. Maria's going to get through this.  
Mickie's right. I would never do anything to hurt Maria. She's like a  
sister to me. I could never hurt her." Randy explained to Jeff calmly,  
knowing he was in no situation to argue back.

"Randy's right, Jeff. Think of it this way, Maria wouldn't want you to  
blame yourself for this. If it was the other way around, would you want Maria  
to be the one that blamed herself?" Ric spoke up, looking Jeff in the eye.

"Ric's got a point. Besides if you don't cheer up, John and I will sing  
our theme songs. It helped Maria." Randy teased.

"I'll Join!" Hunter and Shawn shouted in unison.

"What do you want to sing? Our DX theme or our singles themes?" Shawn  
asked curiously.

"I think DX would be fun." Hunter said

"Okay, guys. I won't blame myself anymore, alright? But could you guys  
give me a minute. I need to speak to Ric alone..." The younger Hardy asked,  
shaking his head.

"Sure, John and I were about to go rehearse." Randy commented as he and  
John got up from their chairs.

"We'll join you." Hunter and Shawn said at the same time once again. A  
moment later, Ric and Jeff were alone. Jeff had always thought of the Nature  
Boy as a  
father figure. He could tell the man absolutely anything.

"So, Jeff. What did you need to talk about?" Ric asked with concern in  
his voice.

"Ric, what would you do if you lost everything. Everything that was  
important to you?" Jeff asked seriously. After a moment of silence, Ric  
answered with a stern voice.

"Jeff, you aren't going to lose Maria. She's going to come out of  
this." The Nature Boy said in a still serious tone. The two sat in silence  
until horrible singing was heard down the hall.

"Nothing you can say. Nothing's gonna change what you've done to me.  
Now it's time to shine, now I'm gonna take what's mine!"

"You can't see me my time is now!"

"Degenerate in something cool--"

"Shawn, how many times do I have to tell you, its 'fool', not 'cool'!"

"WOULD YOU SHUT UP!!" Someone shouted above them all. Both Ric and Jeff  
laughed at this. It was the fist time he had smiled since he brought Maria to  
the hospital.

"Jeff, all I got to say is, you got to belive. If you don't, who knows  
what's going to happen. Jeff, you just got to believe." Ric was right.  
There was no point in blaming himself, or Randy.

"You're right, Ric. I just don't know what I would do if... if..." Jeff  
once again couldn't finish and he finally let the tears fall. He just had to  
believe that Maria was going to be alright.


End file.
